


Aftermath

by Azrel



Series: More than I hoped for [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Demisexuality, Developing Relationship, Dysfunctional Family, Family Dynamics, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Dating, Friends to Lovers, Hermione Granger is a Good Friend, Internalized Homophobia, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Past Character Death, Percy Weasley is a Dork, Protective Oliver Wood, Slow Build, but our dork, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:01:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21514210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azrel/pseuds/Azrel
Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts Percy's kind of lost and he's s bit confused about his ongoing crush on Oliver. Hermione helps and a relationship is started.(Sorry if it comes across as hard on Molly... Percy is a Mess, and kinda projecting.)
Relationships: Percy Weasley/Oliver Wood
Series: More than I hoped for [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550671
Comments: 19
Kudos: 118
Collections: Pen15 is Mightier Holiday Gift Exchange 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bonepages](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonepages/gifts).



> They are going to end up together I swear, just no sex in this fic. Might be in the next one, just not here, as Percy is Very Confused and so is Oliver, but is more laid back about it than Percy. 
> 
> Um. What else... Molly and Arthur might not come across as the best parents EVER here, but I'm trying to go more for the "parents as people" thing, and considering how Molly treated Hermione in Goblet of Fire, and Fleur... there's not a lot of guarantee she's going to treat Percy well as he tries to figure out his sexuality (he gets his mind blown when he learns that demisexuality and asexuality are things! That it's okay to be bi!) It'll take awhile for her to come around, Arthur does first as I had the impression he was more flexible. 
> 
> But that's going to be a couple of stories in the ~future~. Family relationships can be hard, man.

It was hard for Percy to figure out what to do with himself after the Battle of Hogwarts, after Voldemort had been killed-it wasn't like he'd been on good terms with the rest of his family for years. Showing up in time for this wouldn't undo the years of lack of communication and bad feeling-

“It should've been you dead,” George rasped. “Not Fred-”

“George!” That was Ginny, her eyes red and swollen and flashing with something that wasn't entirely grief. Tired as they all were... it'd be so easy to permanently end ties here and now, and it wouldn't even require the rest of them dying. Percy realized George was grieving and probably in shock-but he shouldn't be able to get away with that type of shit either. Neither of them were children anymore-what was considered “cute” then was considered cruel now. Never mind it'd been cruel then too-because at least when you that young you were still learning how to be human.

But he still didn't feel comfortable standing up for himself, not when he _agreed_ with George on this...

“Even if Percy had died here there's no guarantee that Fred-or you-would still have survived,” Ginny continued raggedly, breath coming in gasps. “I've lost one brother, I don't want to lost another, and Percy's admitted his mistakes. We need to admit we made mistakes too.”

“If he hadn't-”

“Driving Percy out isn't going to bring Fred back! You don't have to talk to him, but I'm not going to let my grief over Fred drive the rest of my family away.” With that Ginny looked at Percy and nodded at a point in the Great Hall, some meters away from the rest of the family and the awkward silence gripping them.

“Not right now,” Molly rasped, finally coming back from wherever she'd been and stopping the fight before it really got going-before McGonnagall or anyone else still in the Great Hall overheard them; right now they were being given space around Fred's corpse-and Percy knew it couldn't last.

As much as any of them might not want to move, they couldn't stay here for much longer. Others were beginning to move, beginning to contact others outside of Hogwarts. That's probably where Arthur had gone to, Percy reflected; they did have to make arrangements for Fred's funeral-he just... couldn't be left here.

None of them were willing to leave him here-the only way it'd happen is if they'd all died in the battle' Percy knew they'd gotten lucky. During the last Wizarding War his mother had lost more family than a child and his father hadn't lost anyone at all, as far as he knew. Maybe that'd been one of the reasons their marriage had stayed together, in spite of the strain the wars had put on it.

He took his mind away from memories that didn't help at the moment; it was better if he could focus and get through the here and now-as tempting as it might have been to... get lost in thought, to not remember _why_ they were still around Fred's corpse, he couldn't do that. ( _Fred would_ , a traitorous thought went through his mind. _Fred would've been happy to leave you here, been happy to forget you..._ He had no way of **knowing** if it was true, even if it'd felt that way over the last few years-and Percy would be among the first two admit he didn't know how much of that was on him misinterpreting their relationship, and how much was Fred being a little shit. Now with Fred's death there was no way to fix their relationship, see if there was any way it could be mended-if there was even any point to it.

“Percy? Perce, have you been listening?” It was Bill, and the combination of concern and annoyance woke Percy out of his thoughts.

“Not really,” he admitted. “It's just...” He found he couldn't look at Fred anymore; it was finally beginning to sink that Fred wasn't coming back. It'd been easier to believe when it was his previous employer-he hadn't had that many ties to Crouch at the time... and it wasn't something he could fix. He couldn't _undo any of this_ , and the frustration was building. The inability to figure what to _do_ with himself-there should be a manual or something, anything, to-to help those like him know how to handle situations like this.

Bill relented, seeming to realize that Percy was floundering as much as the rest of them, and had no idea of what the hell to do or say either. “Remembering Fred?”

“Y-yeah. When he was younger-”

George had gathered up his brother's body and wouldn't let anyone else help him; there was kind of... a wild look to his face that it unwise for anyone to try to take Fred away from him right now. Percy just hoped someone **would** be able to find the right words to help George let go, and he was aware enough it probably wouldn't be him.

Charlie or Bill, maybe. Or Fleur - she was close enough George wouldn't see her as a threat, yet still distant enough that she'd maybe still have enough emotional distance to find the right things to say...

He needed some space and The Burrow? Not it, he hadn't felt safe there in years. Since before he'd been old enough to hold down a job on his own and live in his own place, provided he could either afforded it or – more likely – if he'd been able to find someone willing to be his roommate; none of the wizards he'd roomed with after Hogwarts had been as close to him as Oliver had been-and there was an idea, both if could find Oliver and if he was still willing to put up with Percy... his own family wasn't. Might not be right now- George wasn't, and to be fair George wasn't entirely in his right mind-and an idea that it'd be better for everyone if he gave them some space but was still. Still involved in their lives if they'd let him-

“Of course you're coming back to The Burrow! That's where you and Fred were born, that's where Fred needs to go so he can be cleaned-”

“He loved our shop too, and wanted to be taken _there_ -”

Percy moved in between them and intercepted them before either of them could do anything they regretted-like hit each other; he could tell Molly was struggling with it.

“Don't. _Don't_ ,” he said. “George doesn't need anyone hitting him right now; that's not going to make him let go off Fred any faster.” Percy could see the steam rising out of Molly, see the way the words were trying to work their way through, but Molly'd never been known for letting logic or facts stop her when she'd riled. Percy didn't dare look away from her-it'd only make things worse, make her angrier, but then... if he didn't back down she'd get angrier too. At least from what he remembered; the only way to “win” was not to _be_ there when get angry. Be what she wanted; it was easier that way since she wouldn't be riled up-and she did tend to say things she later regretted. But it wasn't anything she'd be able to take back either, and he guessed-hoped-it was going through her mind now.

Because if she did or said the wrong thing? She'd be losing George too. And he might not be willing to come back-Percy could tell that much-so could the rest of his family.... He racked his brain for something to say, something to do, now that he'd decided to act...

“George, lemme help you with Fred there, it looks like he's about to slip...” Charlie said, moving fast enough that George couldn't fight him on this. “I'm sorry George, Mum, St. Mungo's it is for the moment=that should be safe.” He looked around at the Great Hall, sagging a little. “There's not a lot that I can do here, but I can keep an eye on George. Perce... don't let Mum bully you into doing something you're not ready for or comfortable with; don't let her run you over.”

“Charlie!” Molly's voice seemed to be working again. “We've always taken care of our dead at-”

Arthur put an arm around Molly's shoulders and said, “Later, Molly, later. We'll be able to lay him to rest soon, let's get you looked over before you fall over. Fred wouldn't have wanted you to hurt.”

Molly let herself be led away; Percy wasn't sure if she was aware she was weeping. Arthur was too-he kept wiping his eyes with a handkerchief-but Percy wouldn't want to push his luck with her.

“Are you coming back to The Burrow?” Ginny asked him-the way she was holding herself told him the day was definitely catching up to her. As well as to everyone else; the bruises under their eyes, the way they were trying to remain upright and not slump over in exhaustion and delayed reaction...

He shook his head. “Maybe tomorrow? If you think it'll be okay-I still have to pa=”

“That's okay, come over when you're ready. I'm not sure how happy Mum will be see any of us, just-be careful?” Ginny hugged him before darting after the rest of their siblings.


	2. Chapter 2

# Chapter Two

Percy woke up with a jerk, heart pounding; another dream of Oliver had followed a nightmare of the Battle. Clearly his subconscious was very confused; he couldn’t get more than a couple of hours of sleep a night anymore. The dreams were that stressful. If he didn’t find a way to make them _stop_ he’d end up holed up in his apartment, here on the outskirts of magical London-and that would make Molly come hunt him down and drag him back to the Burrow. Which wasn’t an acceptable solution to the problem; he was an adult and didn’t need to be treated like he was a runaway child.

As much as he loved his mother-she did sometimes forget her children were grown, and Fred’s death hadn’t helped in that regard. It was one of the big reasons he hadn’t been able to accept their invitation to stay at the Burrow after the Battle of Hogwarts; it would’ve blurred the lines too much for all of them and he couldn’t deal with it. As much as he sympathized with his mother’s grief… he couldn’t let her tear down the barriers he’d put up either. It wouldn’t do either of them any good.

In any case, she wasn’t the right person to go to for advice in this situation-she had a Distinct Idea of how her children needed to live their lives, and… he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of letting her pick a spouse for him. Molly wouldn’t be happy with that, but it was something she’d need to deal with-and he was aware enough to know _no one_ would be Good Enough for her kids. Hence why she still wasn’t happy with Fleur, or how Fleur had called her out on her behavior.

No, he thought Hermione would be the best person to go to for advice of this… nature. Like about his attraction to Oliver-surely it couldn’t be… right; it would’ve be easier if he still could be with Penelope. (Never mind the relationship had run its course, as many relationships do, especially in that age group, and that the relationship ended amicably… it was something that would’ve been easier to deal with, because it was something he _knew_. It wasn’t always easy to let go, even when it was for the best.)

He limped to his desk-a sign he wasn’t as young as he used to be; he’d pulled a leg muscle in his sleep and it still hurt-and pulled out his last quill and parchment. He’d need to remember to pick up more the next time he was out… Since he’d begun working for Obsurus Books, he’d gotten a discount for things he bought there-at least his boss appreciated his efforts. Unlike his family, who still had a hard time believing he could get positions almost anywhere due to his own efforts…

* * *

_To Hermione:_

_I’m writing to you because of… to be honest, I need your help. Perhaps the Muggle World has more information about this? I hope so, because I’ve not been able to find much here. Most things about peoples’ sexuality is hush hush; I suppose on the theory that their parents will teach them… not so much in our case, as our mother has always been big on having grandchildren. A lot of grandchildren, and refuses to consider anything else. Our father’s not been home long enough to have a decent talk about it either-and the last few years have only been worse, with the War. If it weren’t for our jobs a the Ministry we wouldn’t have been able to exchange even “Hello”, and it certainly wasn’t the right place to ask him about my own attraction to other men._

_I’m sure there were more tactful ways to phrase it, but I’m running low on patience, trying to figure out to put it more… politely._

_I didn’t know who else to go to for help, Hermione._

_Percy Weasley_

There. That should do it, he hoped; Hermione _did_ like to gather information, and the Muggle world couldn’t be _worse_ than the Wizarding world in this regard. Right? He knew there were those who were still being killed because they weren’t quite the same. Perhaps that was why his mother had always shut down any discussion about anything other than dating girls if he’d tried to bring it up-and he’d had the sense to ask in _letters,_ never to her face, and only when he was still at Hogwarts. It’d sort of worked and yet didn’t, because at least she hadn’t sent him a Howler about it.

Just a scathing letter to not ask questions about _things_ no one would want to know or admit to. And he’d better be giving her grandchildren, he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

That’d been in his 3rd year. He’d gotten the message.

* * *

_Percy,_

_Of course I’ll help! What you’re feeling is perfectly normal, I just wanted to assure you of that right off. I’m not surprised you’ve found difficulties in resources here; the Wizarding world is… more hush-hush about such differences, I’ve found. At least here, in other areas of the world its more forward thinking. But I digress._

_You’re not the first wizard to need help with discovering themselves, so I’ve information packets ready. I’ve sent you one to get started-might we meet in a couple of days to go over it? Say, July 1 st? At 6pm, The Leaky Cauldron? _

_Oh, and one of the people who’s been through a similar questioning phase-he can help you too, I think. I remember you and Oliver got along well enough back in Hogwarts, so he shouldn’t cause too much stress?_

_Hermione Granger_

* * *

  
  


_Hermione,_

_Yes, thank you! The information is helpful, and the date and time sounds good. I’ve already got some more questions to ask…_

_No, he shouldn’t. Oliver too? You never know, I suppose._

_Percy Weasley_


	3. Chapter 3

Percy had gotten there a few minutes early-his job for Obscurus Books meant he didn’t have far to travel. It was something to do while he got his mind back in order-it didn’t challenge him the way his Ministry jobs had-but it kept him busy and was actually _fun_.

The Leaky Cauldron was quiet at this time-it was after the early dinner rush and before people came back for their evening drinking. A good time for a quiet talk, he supposed, giving the differing work schedules of everyone involved.

And while he’d _said_ it was okay (or at least implied) it was okay for Oliver to be here too, it was going to be… awkward. What with his stupid crush on Oliver, though maybe it’d be killed with this meeting? They hadn’t exchanged more than a few words here and there since graduating-though it hadn’t done much to kill his yearning for the other man either.

It hadn’t seemed polite to mention this to Hermione- who was only trying to help. And he’d brought it upon himself too; if he hadn’t allowed himself to become…. Such a coward when it came to keeping up his few friendships-if he’d been better at writing to Oliver over the years instead of every few months-

“Percy? You all right?” That was Oliver, sounding worried. As to be expected as Percy had jumped nearly out of his chair when he’d heard someone speaking to him; another side effect of his poor sleep lately. Falling asleep in public, rarely able to sleep at his apartment…

“Fine. I think. Maybe?” He considered it a moment as Oliver sat down. “Not really, but maybe soon?”

Oliver was still considering him, and seemed to accept this as Percy meant it, thankfully. While it’d been years since they lived together, it felt kinda weird how Percy felt comfortable with him-and that told him something about how he felt about Oliver.

 _Don’t panic_ , he told himself. _Don’t panic, don’t mess this up, like you’ve done everything else._

“Where’s Hermione?” he asked, looking around-anything other than looking at Oliver and feeling his heart pound. “Is she all right?”

“She’s fine, she just wanted to give us a few minutes to get reacquainted,” Oliver replied. “And something about doublechecking her materials?”

Before Percy could say anything Hermione hurried in with a satchel hanging off a shoulder. She looked around the room quickly before spotting them and scurrying over, looking relieved-did she expect them not… to be here? Or given that she’d been closer to the twins, Ron, and Ginny-maybe she’d just expected more mayhem? Because he remembered them being prone to shenanigans. And Oliver had sometimes been bribed to help them with whatever shenanigans they’d decided to implement that week. Or day. Sometimes multiple times in the same day… but those were in the days of when they all were in the Gryffindor Dorms.

“Hello Percy!” Hermione sat down between them and placed her satchel on the table. “You’re looking… good, if peaked?”

“I could be sleeping better,” he admitted. “You’re looking happy, Hermione. You and Ron doing all right together?”

She nodded. “We’re doing fine. Better than we were a few months ago, anyway.” She opened the satchel and drew out some of her papers. “Oliver, would you mind getting us something to drink? Preferably not too alcoholic?”

Oliver looked at Percy. “Any preferences?”

“This might be a surprise, but… I don’t have a lot of experience with alcohol. Something not very strong?” Percy shrugged, feeling awkward. “I don’t feel the need to dull my nerves yet.”

“And I’ll do my best to make sure you won’t,” Hermione assured him. “I know this may be a fair bit more than you were expecting, but these you can take home with you and go over as often as you like.”

Percy looked over the brochures and-yes, it looked like at least one essay in there-and several articles. For a moment he thought it was too overwhelming but shoved that back down where it belonged.

There really was more than he was expecting-including “Body Dysphoria and You”, “What It Means to be Asexual in the Wizarding World” and “Gay Rights and You: An Overview for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Wizards and Witches”. “A Brief Overview of Queer Wizards and Witches in Wizarding History: You’re Normal, Don’t Let Anyone Tell You Different” looked promising as well as a few articles about differing sexualities, and how not to feel ashamed of who you were attracted to.

 _Where was this when I was growing up?_ He wondered, as he gathered it up and put it in his own satchel. Before he could ask anything he double checked to make Oliver was still at the bar. Okay, so time to gather his nerve…

“Hermione, thank you for all of this, it’s going to be quite helpful, all of it. But I. I… I well, part of why I asked for your help is… I think I’m attracted to Oliver… and-” His voice failed; he couldn’t seem to get any words out no matter how he tried.

Hermione blinked. “Well, I wasn’t quite expecting that… but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And since he’s _here_ , you can tell him yourself instead of bottling it up-doing so hasn’t done you any good, by the looks of things.”

“We haven’t talked in a couple of years! And I don’t want his pity, he surely can’t be attracted-”

“Percy, you’re not going to have that; he’s just as attracted to men as you are-he’s gone through the same thing you have. Only perhaps with less… well, more acceptance, because he has a lesbian aunt who’s been supportive of him. Ron’s been open about the struggles all you have had had with your upbringing over the years.”

By that point Oliver had come back with the drinks and put them in front in the middle of the table-he couldn’t have helped but overhear at least some of what Hermione had said, Percy realized, flushing. Curse this pasty skin that showed every bit of embarrassment.

But in this regard at least, Oliver _did_ seem more… easy going, like he was trying not scare Percy off. “That’s right, Aunt Acacia. She’s not as open to the public, but she’s been supportive,” he told Percy. “She’d said something about wanting me to have the help and happiness she wished she’d had when she was younger.”

Percy did remember a flurry of letters during their 5th year – but he’d not been able to bring himself to ask a lot of details about it; Oliver had only said it was a family thing-and Percy had left it alone, knowing family could be… awkward. Even when they met well they could hurt, even without meaning to-the best families were willing to learn from their mistakes and mend their relationships. As ‘Oliver’s family had done, apparently.

Percy hesitated… he didn’t want to impose on anyone, and didn’t want to ruin anything he had with Oliver-a rekindled friendship was better than nothing, wasn’t it? Surely it was, surely it was better than acting on a foolish crush that’d _go away_ eventually wouldn’t it?...No it wouldn’t, he knew himself well enough that it wouldn’t.

He glanced at Hermione, who gave him an encouraging look. He took a deep breath and said, “Oliver, I have something to admit to you… part of the reason I wanted to talk to Hermione too- I’ve been attracted to you for the last several years. I stopped writing because I thought… I thought something had to be wrong with me.” He couldn’t look at Oliver as he admitted to his long-standing attraction; it was easier to speak to the table and the papers resting there.

“That’s not as big a surprise as you might think,” Oliver told him gently. “You slipped up a couple of times, maybe wanted me to know without saying so?”

“...What.”

“A couple of times after I came back in after Quidditch practice and you were asleep-you were moaning my name, and woke up not long after looking embarrassed.”

Percy blinked-now he remembered and dropped his head onto the table. The wood felt cool on his overheated face. “Nooooooo.”

Hermione stifled a giggle, then she was able to say, “At least you’re both discrete. I’ll take my leave now, I think-send Hermes with a letter if you need anything else, Percy?”

His “I will, sure” was muffled because he was still faceplanted into the table and had no interest in lifting his head. At all.

Hermione’s chair scraped back as Oliver said, “It’s _fine_ , Percy. If it helps, sometimes I slept in the Quidditch changing rooms because I’d be dreaming about you too and I didn’t want anyone stumbling upon me.”

That was enough to make Percy lift his head and look at Oliver with something approaching hope. “You were-”

“And still am,” Oliver admitted. His voice was calm enough but his body language was only now relaxing, like he hadn’t expected anything from Percy? Or hadn’t expected to have heard that declaration earlier?

“Um. Bzt.” Percy tried to word but his tongue wasn’t working with him. It wasn’t fair. He tried again. “I didn’t expect you to reciprocate. I _hoped_. But I didn’t expect it.”

“But it’s good, right? I didn’t break you?” Oliver leaned forward slightly, eyebrows crinkling.

“No, you didn’t-I just needed a minute to process it. How should we proceed? Do we just-go back to the way things were?”

“NO. Not if you don’t want to, anyway-but I want to see where this leads, if that’s all right with you?” Oliver hesitated a moment before speaking again. “I don’t… I don’t want to miss this chance, Percy; not like we did back in Hogwarts-we’ve got another chance to do things _right_ , and I want to try. I don’t want fear to make me stop from taking it.”

Percy swallowed-it hurt going past the lump in his throat. It took a couple of tries before he was able to reply, but, “I want to try too, Oliver. I’m just… nervous, I guess. I know how my parents are going to rea-”

“Arthur’s going to be fine with it, so long as you’re happy, I think,” Oliver said thoughtfully. “It’s Molly that’s going to have fits about it-I remember how she treated Fleur. It… spread.”

Percy’s head thunked back onto the table. “Of course it did. She’s convinced we can’t find partners by ourselves, and we _need_ to give her grandchildren-like it’ll validate her own life.”

“...You don’t have to let your mother dictate your life, Percy,” Oliver said, the words quiet enough Percy had to focus on him and not the panic whirling inside. “She’ll keep moving the posts, you have to set boundaries with her too. It’s the only way to make her let go and realize you **do** know what you’re doing.”

“I know, I know,” Percy replied. “It’s just going to be hard-I needed to hear someone else say it, and prove I wasn’t losing my mind.”

“...So, we’re dating?” Oliver asked him after a few minutes of comfortable silence, their drinks finished.

“Yes. I just hope you’re in for a-fight, I guess, because she’s not going to give up without a struggle.”

“If she loves you she’ll accept me too. She’ll have to if she doesn’t want to lose you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the first in a series, so things are tentative with them now. But they're hooked up!
> 
> Um, the second story might be a little while in coming... this is one of the longest fanfics I've written and published so I'm kinda crosseyed at the moment... Y'all should see my notebook, it's so messy with notes and crossed out lines and ink EVERYWHERE. I tried to keep them in character but I think I dumped too much anxious mess on Percy?


End file.
